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Bad House-Keeping

Triple Assessment44 West 106th Street, Apartment 11,716-square-foot, three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath condo. Asking price: $1.189 million. Charges and taxes: $724 per month. Broker: Catherine Holmes, Barak Realty.
All our panelists say that this roomy duplex in Manhattan Valley is priced appropriately. Yet it’s gone six months without an accepted offer (though, as we went to press, the owners reported making
a deal). What gives?

Carolyn Zweben, Prudential Douglas Elliman: “You have a completely modern kitchen and the luxury of a washer and dryer, and the low carrying charges are a huge upside,” says Zweben. “But any first-floor apartment is not an easy sell. As nice as it is, you have bars on the windows—you’re in your master bedroom and you see people walking with their strollers.” Her assessment: $1.35 million.

Suzel Stampleman, Bellmarc: “It’s like a house, it’s so private!” marvels Stampleman. “Yet
it has only one and a half baths, [and] even though [the lower level] was developed well,
it’s still below grade, so you can’t really ask full price for that space.” Her assessment: $1.129 million.

Marc Lawrence, City Connections Realty: “Being close to the park is
a perk—people do pay a premium for that,” says Lawrence. “The layout doesn’t work for me, though. The living room is small; I’d put two bedrooms downstairs and enlarge the living and dining areas.” His assessment: $1.15 million.